Does UBlockout need drilling?

Yes. UBlockout is screwed into your window frame (inside mount) or the wall around it (outside mount), which is what keeps it secure. Drilling is simple: small holes, at preset fixing points on the frame. Our 10 step-by-step videos and virtual installation assistance walk you through it.

I rent. Can I still use UBlockout?

Yes. UBlockout mounts with small screws and patches easily on move-out. The shade can be disassembled and taken with you to your next home, provided the window at your new place is the same size and shape.

Will UBlockout fit a window that isn’t perfectly square?

Outside mount covers the window from the wall around it, so it doesn’t depend on a perfectly square recess.

What happens if my UBlockout shade isn’t right?

If you don’t love it, send it back within 30 nights from delivery for free. After that, our 5-year warranty covers replacement of components and fabric. Every shade is supported by a real team here in Dallas, Texas, including virtual installation assistance.

Compare

UBlockout vs no-drill blackout blinds

We bought a no-drill blind, installed it, and put it side by side with UBlockout. Here’s everything we found.

At a glance

UBlockout compared with a typical no-drill blackout blind
	UBlockout	Typical no-drill blind
How it stays up	Screwed in at preset fixing points	Sits in the recess; longer blinds may need screws anyway
Light seals	Built into the frame	You cut and stick seal strips on all four sides yourself
Install time	About 30 minutes for your first shade, then 10–15 minutes for each one after	Sold as “5 minutes”; the brand’s own install video runs over 9 minutes
Tools	A drill, a screwdriver and a level, and we say so up front	“No extra tools,” until a longer blind needs screws
Window fit	Inside or outside mount fits more windows	Inside mount only; needs a square recess with enough depth
Frame and build	Patented tension system keeps your fabric perfectly in place	Frames can bow on longer windows; buyers report frames arriving warped
Everyday use	Opens and closes the same way every day	Buyers report panels that won’t stay open or pull across smoothly
Manual, motorized or smart	All three, upgradeable later	Usually manual only
Fabric	Fabric covered by a 5-year warranty	No fabric swaps found; shorter warranties
Where it comes from	Made in Dallas, Texas, since 2023	Usually made in China
Guarantee and support	100% blackout guaranteed, 5-year warranty, 30-night returns, Dallas support team	Guarantees vary

In detail

Every difference we found

We put both in a window. Here’s each difference, side by side.

How it stays in your window
Screws hold UBlockout in place. No-drill blinds sit in the recess on their own, and longer ones can need screws anyway.
UBlockout
Screwed into your window frame (inside mount) or the wall around it (outside mount). Drilling is simple: small holes, at preset fixing points on the frame. Nothing depends on adhesive.
Typical no-drill blind
“No drilling required” is the headline. But the frame sits in the recess on its own, and on longer windows it can bow. One maker’s own advice for longer blinds is to add screws for support, which means drilling after all.
Why it matters: A shade you open and close every day needs a fixing that won’t loosen over time.
Light seals
UBlockout’s light seals are built into the frame. With the no-drill blind, sealing is your job.
UBlockout
The light seals are part of the frame, attached and ready. Nothing to measure, cut or stick.
Typical no-drill blind
Brush strip and weather strip come separately. You cut and stick them around all four sides of the frame yourself.
Why it matters: Blackout depends on the seal. A strip cut short or a gap at a corner lets light in.
Install time
The brand’s own install video runs over 9 minutes.
UBlockout
About 30 minutes for your first shade, including 10 step-by-step videos. Around 10–15 minutes for each one after.
Typical no-drill blind
Sold as a “5-minute” install. The brand’s own install video runs over 9 minutes.
Why it matters: Real numbers let you plan your afternoon. We’d rather tell you 30 minutes than promise 5.
Tools and what’s in the box
UBlockout
Installs with common household tools: an electric drill, a Phillips-head screwdriver and a spirit level. We tell you that up front. The frame has preset fixing points, so you only drill small holes where they line up.
Typical no-drill blind
Says “no extra tools or materials are required.” That holds until a longer blind needs screws to stop the frame bowing.
Why it matters: Knowing what you need before you start saves a second trip to the hardware store.
Window fit
UBlockout fits more windows. No-drill blinds need a near-perfect recess.
UBlockout
Choose inside or outside mount. Outside mount covers the window from the wall around it, so a shallow or slightly out-of-square recess isn’t a problem.
Typical no-drill blind
Inside mount only. The window must be square, with enough recess depth for the frame, and arched windows are out.
Why it matters: Few windows are perfectly square, especially in older homes.
Frame and build
UBlockout
Our patented tension system keeps your fabric perfectly in place.
Typical no-drill blind
Frames can bow on longer windows. One maker’s own advice for longer blinds is to add screws for support, and buyers report frames arriving warped. In our hands, it felt closer to plastic than solid aluminum.
Why it matters: A frame that flexes changes how the shade opens and closes, and how well it seals.
Everyday use
UBlockout
Our patented tension system keeps your fabric perfectly in place, so it opens and closes the same way every day.
Typical no-drill blind
Buyers report panels that won’t stay open, and blinds that are misaligned and don’t pull across smoothly. Ours felt clunky as it lowered once the frame flexed.
Why it matters: You’ll open and close it twice a day for years.
Manual, motorized or smart
UBlockout
Start manual and upgrade to motorized or smart later, without replacing the shade.
Typical no-drill blind
Usually manual only.
Why it matters: Your needs change. Your shade can change with them.
Fabric and color
UBlockout
Replacement of components and fabric is covered under our 5-year warranty.
Typical no-drill blind
We found no fabric swaps offered, and warranties are shorter or not stated.
Why it matters: A new fabric panel is cheaper than a whole new blind.
Where it comes from
UBlockout is made in Dallas, Texas. No-drill blinds are usually made in China.
UBlockout
Made in Dallas, Texas, since 2023, and backed by a real U.S. team.
Typical no-drill blind
Usually made in China. Many no-drill blinds are the same imported product sold under different names. The one we bought shipped direct from China, with $8 declared on the shipping label. The same style of framed honeycomb blind is sold by a factory store on AliExpress, listed at $88.09 (Nov 2026).
Why it matters: When something goes wrong, you want a team that made the product, not one that resells it.
No-drill blindThe same style of blind, listed by a factory store on AliExpress (Nov 2026)
Guarantee and support
UBlockout
100% blackout guaranteed, a 5-year warranty and 30 nights to love it or send it back. Cordless, child-safe, and supported by our team in Dallas, Texas, with virtual installation help.
Typical no-drill blind
Guarantees vary.
Why it matters: Help during install is when you need it most.

What buyers of the same blind say

From 1-star Trustpilot reviews of two popular no-drill brands that sell the same factory-made blind.

Quality and frames

Blinds are paper thin and don't block any light. Frame arrived warped. The sealing mechanism around the window frame doesn't work.
Trustpilot review · US · Oct 2026
Nearly impossible to put together as frames bent etc.... Not truly blackout either.
Trustpilot review · GB · Sep 2026
They were also VERY flimsy and drooped in the middle.
Trustpilot review · US · Oct 2025
Comes apart when you take them out of the box. NOTHING LIKE THE TRAINING VIDEO.
Trustpilot review · US · Sep 2026
Item came with screws broken and backing of adhesive strip already removed which means it is unusable.
Trustpilot review · US · Sep 2026
Blinds are not totally black out. Close. But not fully.
Trustpilot review · CA · Jun 2026

Shipping

The blinds are literally shipped straight from China, so you have to wait forever to receive it.
Trustpilot review · US · Oct 2026
It's the end of February and I bought blinds over black friday weekend in November...still don't have a full set of working blinds yet.
Trustpilot review · US · Feb 2026

Returns and refunds

Extremely difficult to return if you get a defective blind! You will go around and around and around with customers service emailing with picture and picture after picture to show the defective item!
Trustpilot review · US · Jul 2026
I have requested a return label multiple times without any success.
Trustpilot review · US · Apr 2026
The window doesn't fit. They told me to go and buy a thinner foam.
Trustpilot review · US · Aug 2025
I requested a refund based on their 100% satisfaction guarantee return policy, and all I get from customer service is delays rather than honoring the written policy.
Trustpilot review · US · Sep 2026

When something goes wrong

Every blind looks good on the product page. Here’s what the policies say, what buyers report, and what you get with UBlockout.

What no-drill brands promise, what buyers report, and what UBlockout offers
	What they promise	What buyers report	UBlockout
It doesn’t fit, or you change your mind	Free returns and long trial periods	Return labels that don’t come, refunds that drag on, and advice to “buy a thinner foam.”	Love it or send it back within 30 nights for a quick, no-hassle refund.
It arrives faulty	A limited warranty, where one is offered, with repairs or replacements at the seller’s discretion	Photo after photo to prove the same defect, and missing parts that take weeks to arrive.	A 5-year warranty. Replacement of components and fabric is covered for the full 5 years.
It’s the wrong size	Custom-made to your measurements	Blinds inches off the size ordered, then requests for more photos before any refund.	Our Fit Guarantee is free for Black Friday: we’ll verify your measurements over a video call, and if the shade doesn’t fit, we replace it free.
You need help	A U.S. warehouse	Orders shipped straight from China, weeks of waiting, and email threads that start over each time.	Made and supported in Dallas, Texas. Ships within 2 weeks from Dallas to your door.

Buyer reports are from 1-star Trustpilot reviews of two popular no-drill brands. 30-night returns exclude commercial orders and orders of 5 or more shades.

Warranty and returns

Buy it once. Every UBlockout shade is handcrafted in Dallas, Texas, using premium materials and precision-engineered aluminum frames. It’s built to stay up, with light seals built into the frame, and backed by a 5-year warranty. If you don’t love it, send it back within 30 nights.

Love it or send it back
30 nights, quick and no-hassle refund.
5-year warranty
Components and fabric covered for the full 5 years.
Made & supported in Dallas, TX
Our team is here in Dallas, Texas.

Customize & Buy UBlockout

Frequently asked questions

Some are. But the frame sits in the recess on its own, and at least one maker recommends adding screws on longer blinds because the frame can bow. Check the product’s guidance for your window size before you buy.

Total darkness, installed to stay.

Customize & Buy UBlockout

UBlockout vs no-drill blackout blinds

At a glance

Every difference we found

How it stays in your window

Light seals

Install time

Tools and what’s in the box

Window fit

Frame and build

Everyday use

Manual, motorized or smart

Fabric and color

Where it comes from

Guarantee and support